slurp
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
an intake of food or drink with a noisy sucking sound.
He finished his milk in about three slurps.
-
any lapping or splashing sound.
the slurp of the waves against the hull.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
slurpsimple
-
slurpssimple
-
have slurpedperfect
-
has slurpedperfect
-
am slurpingprogressive
-
are slurpingprogressive
-
is slurpingprogressive
-
have been slurpingperfect progressive
-
has been slurpingperfect progressive
Past
-
slurpedsimple
-
had slurpedperfect
-
was slurpingprogressive
-
were slurpingprogressive
-
had been slurpingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of slurp
First recorded in 1640–50, slurp is from the Dutch word slurpen (v.)
Explanation
If you suck your food noisily into your mouth, you slurp it. In Japan, it's considered good manners to slurp your noodles. Don't try that in England! There are some foods and drinks that you'll almost inevitably slurp, like hot soup and thick, cold milkshakes. Although fastidious eaters in the US might consider it bad form to slurp the foam off your cappuccino or slurp up the last few ramen noodles from your bowl, in some cultures it shows appreciation for your food. Slurp comes from the imitative Dutch word slurpen.
Vocabulary lists containing slurp
"On the Menu" and "Find the Adaptations"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Shiloh
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Millar: The first thing you see of Slurp is this gloved hand coming out of the ground.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025
In Slurp, a history of ramen, cultural historian Barak Kushner traces how movements between China and Japan shaped the rise of ramen and gyoza.
From Salon • May 30, 2023
Slurp and eat fast or that udon will turn gummy in its caldron.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2020
Slurp down oysters from Boqueron, which grow in mangroves and are “one of the cleanest oysters.”
From Washington Post • Dec. 6, 2018
Downtown, you may hit Slurp, a great soup wagon, and Le Pod, a much-loved crepe wagon serving French street food, both of them housed in gleaming Airstream trailers.
From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2012
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
